


Fortune Favors the Bold

by wayward_winter_soldier



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe, Barry and Wells are Not Nice to Cisco in This Fic, Cisco Ramon Needs A Hug, Cisco Ramon Whump, Cisco Ramon is Vibe, Deaf Hartley Rathaway, Dehumanization, Episode: s06e05 Kiss Kiss Breach Breach, Evil Versions of Beloved Characters, Gen, Hartley Rathaway is Amazing, Hartmon, Hurt Cisco Ramon, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kidnapping, M/M, Mistaken Identity, More Like Stolen Identity, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Physical Abuse, Team Flash is Not Kind in This Fic, The Other Two Ships Are BAD Ships, Well OG Team Flash Is
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:27:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29277684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wayward_winter_soldier/pseuds/wayward_winter_soldier
Summary: "And you might just wake up tomorrow living someone else's life."Cisco does just that.
Relationships: Cisco Ramon & Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon & Joe West, Cisco Ramon/Barry Allen, Cisco Ramon/Harrison Wells, Cisco Ramon/Hartley Rathaway
Kudos: 2





	1. Every Picture You Paint I Will Paint Myself Out

**Author's Note:**

> i really loved the character echo and was super disappointed they didn't do more with him in the show cause i think he's great and there's like no fanfiction about him either and there is so much untapped potential, so here we are. i don't think this will be a very long fic, but i honestly never know. i hope you enjoy!
> 
> oh, also cisco has his Vibe powers in this fic because fuck the cw for taking away his powers

> "May fortune favor the foolish."
> 
> _\- James. T. Kirk, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home_

* * *

Echo smiled at where his Earth-1 counterpart had fallen. It had been insanely easy to frame the man for the murder of Gypsy. Almost too easy. He knew he had tricks up his sleeve. It's what he would have done, after all.

"I must say," he spoke softly, moving closer to Earth-1 Cisco. "You are admirable in a fight. It's almost a shame to just throw you into some Earth-19 Collectors prison."

An awful thought crossed Echo's mind. It was almost too terrible, even for him. He thought about it for half a second before deciding.

"In fact, I think that's a little too easy, don't you? I could always pin this on some other poor, unfortunate Cisco Ramon, one who didn't pay up on time. I bet you left them a Holo-Cube telling them everything. Hmm?"

Cisco didn't respond but his nervous look was enough to answer Echo's question. He chuckled lightly, grabbing Cisco by the collar of his shirt and lifting him to his feet, his face inches from his own.

"Great minds think alike, after all. Hmm... I know people who'd pay top dollar for Earth-1 Cisco Ramon's life."

"You won't get away with it. They'll be here any minute to arrest you."

Behind them, the Breach booted up. Echo smiled. "Oh, I know. Don't worry, though. I have everything under control."

Echo punched Cisco in the face hard, letting his doppelganger fall from his hands and to the cement floor, knocked out cold.

"Oh, after this I might as well retire," Echo whispered to himself.

"To the highest bidder goes your life, Mr. Ramon," he said before grabbing Cisco's ankle and pulling him into the Breach with him.

* * *

Cisco woke up with a start, almost as if he had just had a nightmare or a bad Vibe. But he didn't, did he? The last thing he remembered was Echo. What had happened with him anyway? 

_Don't feel bad, Cisco._

He rubbed his eyes, trying to remember the events that unfolded the night before.

_You're just not wired like me._

Echo had gotten away. Damn it! Cisco looked around the room, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. It wasn't his bedroom, that he knew. There was always a little light in his room from his computer's charging port or his other tech that littered the shelves and desktops. There wasn't any of that here, though. The only light came in from the bottom crack of a door. Cisco stood from the bed that was definitely not his either since it was terribly uncomfortable, and walked over, twisting the doorknob in his hand.

It was locked.

Did Echo kidnap him? Was he really in the Earth-19 Collector's jail for a crime he didn't commit? Echo had said something before he knocked him out. Something about people paying a lot of money for his life. How great could his life really be, he thought bitterly as he began to pace the tiny room. So far it seemed the only thing that was in the room was the cot, a toilet, and a sink. Like a prison cell. This could very well be the Collector's jail.

There was a sound of a lock clicking and Cisco turned his head rapidly towards the door, watching as it opened. He winced at the sudden burst of light but soon regain his composure. He squinted at the person who had unlocked the door, a smile spreading on his face.

"Nash, hey," Cisco let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in. So he was at S.T.A.R. Labs. They had taken Echo in before he could do anything. That still didn't explain why he had woken up in a locked room at S.T.A.R. Labs, but perhaps Caitlin hadn't wanted anyone to disturb him. Maybe that punch to the face was a lot worse than it seemed.

"What?" Nash asked, giving Cisco a look of confusion that had a hateful glare mixed in with it. "It's Doctor Wells to you."

"I didn't realize you had your doctorate," Cisco said, ignoring the hatred in Nash's eyes as he stepped closer to the man. "And since when do people not call you Nash?"

Cisco didn't know what he had been expecting, but a rough slap to the face was not it. He stumbled back, his hand automatically going up towards his cheek.

"Nash, what the hell was that for?"

"You're just asking for a punishment today, aren't you?"

"A punishment? What the hell are you talking about?"

Nash- okay, perhaps he wasn't Nash- grabbed his wrist in a tight grip, pulling him out of the room and into the brightly lit hallway. It was the same hallway Cisco had walked down a million times, but something still felt different about it. He winced as Not-Nash pulled him into the Cortex before throwing him down in the middle of the room. Cisco tried to catch himself with his hands but failed, landing face-first on the hard titled flooring.

"What's your deal today, man?" Cisco blew a strand of hair out of his face as he sat up, looking at Not-Nash as if he had just grown two heads. That's when he noticed something.

The Cortex was nothing like he had remembered it. It was way more run-down like nobody cared about how it looked. There was dust covering some machinery that was usually used heavily. The lights flickered giving the atmosphere a horror movie vibe. 

"What's going on here?" he questioned, standing up. "What happened here?"

"What is it doing in the Cortex?" a snarky sounding voice rang out. Cisco turned to see Barry walking into the Cortex, a police file under his arm. He glared at Cisco as if he was just something he stepped in and stuck to his shoe.

"Barry, what's wrong?"

Barry snorted as he threw the file onto the desk next to him, walking closer to Cisco as if he was studying him. "You have a lot of nerve today, calling me that."

"Calling you by your name? What's going on?"

Barry, like Not-Nash beforehand, slapped Cisco across the face. He was a little more prepared this time, though he still didn't expect his best friend to hit him.

"It's Mr. Allen and you know it."

Cisco exhaled air out of his nose, annoyed. What the hell was going on?

"What are you wearing? Where did you get those clothes?" Barry asked bitterly, looking him up and down.

"They're my clothes. I bought them. You know, with money?"

Barry snorted, laughing out loud at Cisco's response. Not-Nash seemed to find it funny as well.

"Cute. Wells, go get it changed. Maybe a nice beating as well, since it doesn't seem to know its place. I need it hacking the bank accounts today anyway."

"Should I have Snow look at it? It's acting... weird."

Barry thought for a moment before answering. "Yeah, have it do the hacking I need first, though."

"Why are you calling me 'it?' I'm not an it. I'm a he. And why do you want me to hack into a bank account? That's super illegal."

Barry chuckled, leaning in close to Cisco's face. "Yeah, that's kinda the point, _Cisquito."_

"Don't call me that," Cisco said in a soft voice, his glaring into Barry's.

"You don't tell me what to do. It's quite the opposite, actually."

Barry nodded to Not-Nash- Cisco decided just to call him Wells at this point- and the doctor grabbed Cisco's upper arm, dragging him out of the Cortex as he continued to glare at the man who may have looked like his best friend but was not Barry Allen at all.

Or at least not the one he knew.

_And you might just wake up tomorrow living someone else's life._

Echo's words sounded through CIsco's head. It was like attaching the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

This wasn't his life. This was someone else's.

Echo had done what Echo did best.

Took away Cisco Ramon's life.

* * *

Cisco looked around his workshop as they entered. It was nothing like he remembered it. It was much messier (which was saying something since Cisco wasn't the neatest person on Team Flash) and there were way more computers than engineering tools. Of course, there still wear a few, Cisco noted, looking at a workbench that held a half-finished gun and little objects that looked like bombs. Wells let go of his arm and walked over to a metal supply cabinet, opening it and retrieving something from it. He closed it with his foot and shoved the bundle into Cisco's arms.

"Change. Then get to work. Time is of the essence for this mission, I don't have the time to teach you your place. I shouldn't even have to. I don't know what game you're playing, but it's not going to work out in your favor."

Cisco said nothing, watching as Wells left, the door of the workshop that had never been closed in all of Cisco's career at S.T.A.R. Labs swinging shut, a padlock being placed over it. 

What the hell had he gotten himself into?

He looked down at the clothing in his hands. It was all rather plain, like something a patient at a hospital might wear. He laid it out on the desk chair, looking at the stiff white shirt and matching pants. Should he give in to these guys? He had no idea what he was up against. He didn't even know what Earth he was on. He tried shooting a sonic blast but nothing happened. Either there were Meta dampeners in the room or his powers didn't work on this Earth. Eith way, Cisco was shit out of luck.

Cisco decided he should play along for now, until he figured out a way to get back to Earth-1. He didn't even know what damage Echo had done to his Earth. Was there some doppelganger in his place? Did the team think he was dead or in the Collector's jail?

His thoughts ran wild as he changed, cringing at how uncomfortable the clothing was against his skin. No shoes or socks either. He had woken up without them. Cisco sighed and went to one of the monitors, waking it up by moving the mouse slightly. He didn't know what he expected, but long lines of coding and various bank account statements from people he's never heard of were not it. If he didn't know any better, he'd say he'd been doing some hacking. And not the kind one did for the greater good. The kind one did for money and lots of it. 

"What the hell is this?" Cisco asked himself, clicking through the complicated code he recognized as his own. That was how he did it, at least. The style, the input. All Cisco Ramon. 

So what was he here? Some hacker slave? Why was Team Flash stealing money? Weren't they supposed to be the good guys?

The workshop door opened and Cisco looked up. He hadn't even heard it unlock. In walked Caitlin, her white doctor coat on and a tablet in her hands. Cisco said nothing, not knowing how this Earth's Caitlin would act towards him.

"They told me you're losing your mind."

Cisco still remained silent, watching as she came closer to him. She grabbed his wrist, but not in a cruel way. Her hands were cold against his skin as she took his pulse.

"What's wrong, Cisco? We talked about this. I have Joe on the case, he's gathering evidence to put the guys away. We just have to hold out a little longer."

"You're nice," Cisco said. "Not like them."

She chuckled, but not in the horrible way Wells and Barry had. "Yes, Cisco, one could consider me nice, I suppose."

"I'm not from this Earth," Cisco spat out, hoping he could trust Caitlin with the information.

She smiled in a way one would at a child who was babbling nonsense. "Cisco, is this about your dreams again? We talked about this-"

"No, no, I mean it. I'm not the Cisco Ramon you know. I'm from an alternative Earth. I was put here by a guy called Echo. He messes with lives, trades off the good ones to the one who pays the most. And someone must have paid a pretty penny for my life."

Caitlin pursed her lips. "Don't tell them about this, you're only going to get punished. Understand?"

"Do you believe me?"

"I want to. I just... it's a lot."

Cisco nodded understandingly. Maybe they didn't know about alternative Earths here. 

"Just... do what they say. Joe's really close, okay?"

Cisco nodded and she gave him a sweet smile before leaving, the door locking behind her.


	2. Lately You've Been On My Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i stg that not every quote in the chapters will be from star trek lmao  
> hope you're enjoying the fic so far!!!

> "Well, it's easy to be a Saint in paradise."
> 
> _\- Benjamin Sisko, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Maquis, Part II_

* * *

Cisco didn't know who he expected on the other end of the workshop door later that day, but Hartley Rathaway was not it.

He looked rather similar to his Earth-1 counterpart, with hair that was a bit shaggy in places and glasses that perched on the end of his nose as a canary would a twig. He looked as mean as he did on Earth-1 as well like he was angry at the world and had decided today he would take it all out on Cisco. He walked with a sort of attitude to him that suggested this was his world and everyone else just so happened to be living in it.

"Are you done yet?" he snapped at the shorter man, gazing down at him from behind clouded glasses that could do with a good cleaning.

Cisco wasn't actually sure if he was done yet. He actually didn't really know what he was supposed to be doing in the first place. Sure, hack into a couple of bank accounts and transfer the funds, but how much? Which accounts? None of them had told him what to do, mainly because they assumed he already knew.

Hartley looked past Cisco's shoulder, not waiting for a reply, the computer screens reflecting off his glasses as he checked Cisco's work.

"Good," he said finally, and Cisco let out a breath he was unaware he was keeping in. "How are you?"

The question startled Cisco a bit. Wasn't he supposed to be a bad guy? He seemed like it, though Cisco supposed he could be with Caitlin, trying to take down whatever illegal activities Barry and Wells were up to. Cisco wasn't going to bet on Hartley coming to his rescue, though. He didn't trust anybody in this universe.

"Fine?"

Hartley said nothing. He hadn't even acknowledged that Cisco had spoken. It was as if he hadn't heard him.

Maybe he hadn't.

Hartley finally turned, his eyes on Cisco's lips.

"Fine," Cisco said once more. Hartley nodded curtly.

"Good. Caitlin was worried about you. Your ribs still hurt from last time?"

Cisco shook his head, making sure Hartley had seen him. Last time?

"I'm glad. We're gonna get you out. I promise."

So Hartley was nice in this universe. Good to know.

"I have to go," Hartley continued, standing up straight and giving Cisco the smallest of smiles. "One of them might come in, tell you to work on other stuff. I'm not sure. This job should've been done by now."

Cisco nodded, though he really wasn't sure what Hartley was talking about. It was much like being in an episode of Quantum Leap. He didn't feel like Cisco Ramon, he felt like he had Leaped into someone else's life. Maybe, in a way, he had. Maybe he was here to put right what once went wrong.

"Cisco."

Cisco looked up, the sound of his name drawing him out of his thoughts.

"Will you be okay?"

Cisco nodded, giving Hartley a small smile to try and ease the man's mind, though he didn't look very convinced. The taller man left and Cisco heard the sound of the lock clicking back into place.

He was growing used to it by now and that scared him.

* * *

Detective Joe West sighed deeply, running a calloused hand down his face as he threw the file aside. How long had that kid been in Allen and Wells's clutches? Too long, he thought bitterly, hating that he hadn't done something sooner. Not like he would have been able to anyways. Snow and Rathaway were adamant about keeping the investigation under wraps. One screw up and they would flee with the kid. He was important to them, they had stressed to Joe. 

The file he had threw down onto the desk had opened a bit when it had been tossed, and Jow could read the name written on the paperwork.

_Ramon, Francisco._

If this didn't work, to hell with Snow and Rathaway's wishes.

He would get the kid out himself.

* * *

Cisco jumped at the tell-tale sign of a Breach being opened. He backed away from the bright blue light, not knowing who would pop out and if they meant him harm or hot.

"Living the dream, Cisco?"

Echo.

"What the hell did you do?" Cisco demanded, coming closer now that he knew who it was. 

"I did what I said I would do," Echo said nonchalantly as he looked around the room and then to Cisco. "Nice clothes."

"How did the Collector's not catch you?" Cisco asked, his eyes squinted in distrust.

"I've been playing this game an awfully long time, my friend. It'll take more than that to take me down."

"Send me back to my Earth right now!"

"Ooh, sorry, no can do. See, I sold off your old life and I got to say, my client is loving it."

Cisco crossed his arms over his chest. "To who?"

"Hmm?"

"Who did you give my life to?"

"The guy who's shoes you're in now," Echo said, a snarky smile plastered across his face. "Earth-25 Cisco Ramon."

"How'd he get enough?"

"I don't always take money if that's what you're asking."

Echo winked making Cisco feel extremely uncomfortable. 

"Well, I was just checking in, making sure you weren't dead," Echo sighed, that snarky smile still plastered across his face.

"Why would you care?"

Echo shrugged. "I don't. Not really, at least, but I like to keep tabs on things."

"You're a psychopath," Cisco breathed, watching as the Breach booted up once more.

"I know. Isn't it lovely?"

Before Cisco could reply, Echo jumped through the Breach and it closed behind him in less than a second.

But that didn't matter. Cisco knew what Earth he was on now.

Earth-25.


	3. My Dear Old Friend

> "This is a song about somebody else  
> So don't worry yourself, worry yourself  
> The devil's right there right there in the details  
> And you don't wanna hurt yourself, hurt yourself"
> 
> _\- Looking Too Closely, Fink_

* * *

**_Earth-1_ **

Earth-25 Cisco Ramon was loving this new Earth.

For one, Mr. Allen and Dr. Wells were nice. They called him by his name and they didn't hurt him or even look at him badly. Well, this Earth's Dr. Wells was a little rough around the edges, but he was nothing compared to his doppelganger.

Caitlin was still nice on this Earth, and there were more people at S.T.A.R. Labs, like a detective named Joe West and his daughter Iris, and a man named Ralph. There was no Hartley, though, which made him a little sad. He had always liked Hartley.

They saved people on this Earth. They didn't rob or cheat or kill. They were the good guys.

Cisco supposed he could get used to a life like this.

* * *

**_Earth-25_ **

Cisco heard the door unlocking and he swore his heart stopped. He looked up from the computer, trying to get his breathing under control. The last thing he needed was to seem weak.

It was Barry. Cisco hated thinking of him as Barry. He wasn't his Barry. He was a twisted and demented version of his best friend.

"Get up," Barry ordered in a stern voice. Cisco quickly stood from the desk chair, not wanting to anger the man for he already seemed rather pissed off.

Barry looked at Cisco in a wicked sort of way that Cisco had never seen Barry Allen look at anyone or anything. It was shocking and down-right repulsive. Cisco wanted nothing more than to leave this awful Earth and find his nice Barry.

"You've been acting weird all day," Barry noted, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Sorry," Cisco mumbled.

"Don't talk back to me!" Barry ordered. Cisco stayed silent as he shifted his gaze to the ground.

"Maybe you just need some reminding of your place here," Barry continued, walking closer to Cisco. This wasn't going to end well, any idiot could realize that. Barry grabbed Cisco's upper arm, though it was almost delicate and loving at first. Cisco dared himself to look up. If he squinted, it was almost like he was with his Barry. Almost.

Suddenly, Barry's hand on his arm became tighter and Cisco cried out in pain. Barry didn't seem to care, only dragged the engineer out of the workshop and down the winding halls of the lab, not caring if he was hurting Cisco or not. When they finally stopped, Cisco realized they were back in the room that Cisco had woken up in. His cell.

The door closed and Barry flicked a lightswitch that Cisco hadn't noticed at first. The room lit up in a dull glow and Cisco was thrown onto the cot he had woken up on. He had a bad feeling. If he was right and this was going in the direction he feared it was...

Barry went for Cisco's pants and the engineer kicked out instinctively. Barry didn't seem to like that for he began vibrating his hand and reaching it closer and closer towards Cisco's quickly beating heart.

"You definitely need to be taught a lesson," Barry mused. Cisco stopped struggling in fear of the Speedster's vibrating hand.

Barry, seeming satisfied with Cisco's fear, smiled, though it was unkind and nothing Cisco would have ever expected to see on the face of Barry Allen. The Speedster's hands went for Cisco's pants again and Cisco could feel tears streaming down his face silently at what was about to happen to him. 

"Please... Barry-"

Barry smacked Cisco roughly across the face in response. There was a fire in his eyes, a wicked hell fire that burned brightly and destroyed everything in its path. Barry dug into his pocket for a moment before producing a gag, which he shoved into Cisco's mouth, tightening it in such a painful way that Cisco cried out from behind it. Barry leaned down and produced a worn chain that attached to the wall next to the cot. He took off Cisco's pants, ignoring the way the man struggled, then his boxers. The chain was attached to Cisco's ankle as if he had the power or energy to go anywhere.

Barry pushed Cisco over, shoving his face into the foul-smelling cot. Next Barry produced a pair of handcuffs, which he placed around Cisco's wrists, restaining his hands behind his back. 

"Now we can get started," Barry said in a low, almost erotic, voice. There was the tell-tale sound of a zipper unzipping and Cisco cried harder behind the gag.

* * *

When Barry was done, he simply unlocked the handcuffs but left the gag and ankle chain in place. Cisco made no effort to struggle or even move. This seemed to please Barry greatly.

"See," said the evil Speedster with a smile upon his lips. "You just needed some reminding of your place."

Cisco didn't say anything, though even if he did it wouldn't have been understandable with the gag in. He heard Barry's footsteps grow fainter and fainter, then the open and slamming close of the door before it was once again locked. Barry had forgotten to turn off the room's lights, but Cisco couldn't bring himself to care at that moment.

How could anyone be so evil, Cisco thought as he curled himself into a ball. He felt so dirty after what Barry- no, this was not Barry. Barry would never do something like this. Barry would never hurt Cisco. Barry was his friend. Barry loved him.

Barry would never...

Cisco wouldn't even think the word. It was too awful to even for his own internal thoughts. He could still feel the man's hands on him. This wasn't Barry. This wasn't his Barry.

There was the feel of blood between Cisco's legs, which caused him to sob hard into his arms. The gag made it so hardly any sound came out, but Cisco didn't care about being heard. He just needed to get these emotions out somehow.

How could this have happened to him? He couldn't imagine what his Earth-25 doppelganger had gone through. He couldn't imagine this being his normal.

It would be, though, soon enough. 

Cisco closed his eyes tightly at the thought of spending the rest of his life here. He continued to sob, hoping that if he slept he would wake up and it would all be some horrible dream.

He was never that lucky.


End file.
